Field: The invention is directed to an exercise cycle, and more particularly to an exercise cycle with a movable handle bar assembly which may be selectively locked in a stationary position.
State of the Art: Stationary exercise cycles have been popular for years. Typically, an exercise cycle has a stationary frame with a seat, a pedal assembly, and a handle bar assembly. The user sits on the seat and places his feet on the pedal assembly and his hands on the handle bar assembly. The user pedals his feet to drive a wheel or other drive mechanism to simulate riding a bicycle. Typically, the wheel or other drive mechanism includes an adjustable resistance mechanism so that the user can vary the amount of resistance applied to the wheel or drive mechanism, thus varying the amount of exercise provided to the user's legs, and also varying the aerobic conditioning provided.
In some cycles, the handle bar assembly is driven in a back and forth motion synchronously with the motion of the pedal assembly. The present cycles do not allow a user to choose between a stationary handle bar arrangement or a movable handle bar arrangement in which the handle bar assembly is free to pivot forward and backward, independent of the motion of the pedal assembly. A stationary handle bar assembly may allow the user to concentrate more on exercise of the legs and lower portion of the body, while a movable handle bar assembly may provide a more general body workout, including exercise of the abdomen, back, and arms, and also increasing the amount of aerobic exercise provided. Thus, there remains a need for an exercise cycle convertible between a movable handle bar assembly and a stationary handle bar assembly.